1. Technical Field
Aspects of the present invention relate to an image forming device having a function of generating a traveling electric field for carrying developing material.
2. Related Art
In general, an image forming device (e.g., a printer or a multifunction peripheral) is provided with a carrying unit for carrying developing material (hereafter, referred to as a developing material carrying device) toward an image holding unit (e.g., a photosensitive drum). Image forming devices having a developing material carrying device which carries the developing material through a traveling electric field have been proposed.
In such a developing material carrying device, a carrying body having a plurality of line-like electrodes aligned in a line is provided. In the developing material carrying device, a traveling electric field is generated by successively applying a polyphase alternating voltage to the electrodes of the carrying body. As a result, charged developing material is carried.
However, such a developing material carrying device has a drawback that the developing material agglutinates on the carrying body. If such a phenomenon occurs, the developing material can not be carried smoothly.
Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. SHO 61-73167 (hereafter, referred to as JP SHO 61-73167A) discloses an example of a developing material carrying device capable of collapsing the developing material agglutinated in the carrying body by vibrating the entire carrying body. More specifically, in the developing material carrying device, a vibrating unit is provided at a predetermined position, and the vibrating unit is controlled to produce a vibrating motion at a predetermined frequency so that the entire carrying body is vibrated.